Stress Induced
by neptuneskiff
Summary: Everyone searches for an escape outside of a hectic and draining job. HC
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The Characters from House M.D. aren't my property

The day had been hell, the whole week surreal. Monday had started like any other day until lunch when Cuddy cornered Foreman and Cameron while they were working in the clinic.

"Where's the rest of the team?" Cuddy had asked. That simple question started it all. She'd found them a case.

Chase was in the diagnostics office working on a crossword. House was completely invested in his game boy, on level 12 of Smash Brothers.

The case had turned out impossible. Until due to House's crazy thought process and Cameron getting the mother to confide in her they'd found the correct diagnosis. Too bad there had been no treatment.

The twelve year old boy, Elliott, who House seemed to identify with, would die. He had maybe week left.

Elliott was a smart kid with a photographic memory and a big mouth. House hadn't seen him at first. That changed when the boy kicked out Foreman and Chase insisting Dr. Cameron should be the doctor to treat him all the time.

House had gone in his room originally to badger the boy for thinking he was in charge. Instead the kid had accomplished what no other patient House had treated in the past two years was able. He'd made House care about him, made his case personal.

After the kid was sent home Chase and Foreman had each left, going wherever they tended to go after a tough case. Cameron chose to stay busy meaning staying at the hospital as late as possible. She spent the time finishing paper work and lab research. When the clock showed it was already after 8:30 she decided she'd had enough.

Cameron headed back to House's office to grab her jacket deciding all work could stay at the hospital and wait till Monday. When she got to the office she just stared. House was lying back in his chair eyes shut with his legs propped up. She identified the music he had blasting throughout the room as Chopin.

She walked in as if on auto-pilot and ended up behind him after a moment she daringly set her hands on his shoulders. House clenched instantly alerting her to the fact he'd had no clue she'd invaded his sanctuary. He slowly relaxed not opening his eyes and Cameron began to massage his shoulders. His head fell forward which she took as an invitation to work on his neck as well. She heard his breathing deepen as he finally relaxed completely.

House turned to face her at the same time his hand caught one of hers against his shoulder. She froze his face seemed so sad and full of need to her.

"Leave Alison." He snapped at her.

Her eyes were locked on his showing no response, but she pulled away and he released her hand. She turned from him grabbed her stuff and left.

House put his head down on his desk after she was gone and pulled his bottle of Vicodin from his pocket. Instead of popping it open to take a pill he threw it at his door, hard. It bounced off the protected glass the top busting open when it hit the floor.


	2. Chapter 2

Cameron was curled up on her couch an almost empty bottle of Merlot and a glass on the table next to her. She had Buffy the Vampire Slayer playing on the TV, a show a past roommate had forced her to watch during her little free time. It was either that or an old Katherine Hepburn movie like The Philadelphia Story. But no she wouldn't resort to that.

What better way to distract herself than vampires and high school students. She refused to spend another evening thinking about House. The monster truck rally, the conversation in the hall and those that followed, her leaving, him getting her to come back, the date, Stacey- then Stacey leaving, the never ending quips...

She had no idea where she stood. All Cameron knew was she still liked House, a lot. She couldn't make the feelings go away. When he comes near her or she catches his eyes on her she feels her blood heat up every single time in response.

She would have to leave soon for real this time. She couldn't keep it up. She'd been offered a position at Memorial around the time she found job at Jefferson, she'd turned it down at the time since it didn't start till this coming fall. She decided she'd call in the morning to see if it was still available then gave her attention back to the television.

She heard banging on the door pulling her attention away from the Musical episode of Buffy. Cameron knew who it was instantly she could recognize the sound of a cane hitting the door versus a hand knocking.

As much as she wanted to curl up and sleep she knew he wouldn't stop. She got up and unlocked the bolt then the door and returned to the couch to continue as if nothing had changed. When Cameron heard the door open then close again and lock she kept her eyes on the television. She silently wished she'd gone with carpet over hard wood floors carpet would've muffled the sound of his cane and footsteps.

Cameron also cursed the fact she hadn't foreseen his visit. She definitely hadn't expected him hence her ensemble. She was wearing flannel pants and a white camisole with thin material it did nothing to disguise her body's response to him.

She sat on the couch refusing to look away from the television even as House sat on the opposite end.

"And I'd thought you'd be curled up with a copy of Emma or maybe watching Sabrina in black and white." House finally spoke.

"Fuck you." That was her response most likely because what he had suggested could have been the case if this marathon hadn't been playing when she turned on the television earlier.

"Is this before or after she fucks Spike?" He asks as he moves to accommodate his leg. There was no coffee table so he turned his body to face hers with a slight wince as he lifted his legs onto the couch. He shouldn't have left his pills on the floor. His legs reached her lap and without hesitation House rested his calves and feet across her lap.

Cameron didn't glance at him in response. She does pull off his Nike Shox one at a time as she answers his question. "Before- She kisses him at the end of this episode." Then she surprised him by removing his socks doing it naturally as you would to a child.

They watched the show as her hands played over his feet and ankles. When she was bold enough to reach under his jeans to his calves he finally broke the silence.

"Anything left in that bottle?" He asked gesturing to the wine on the table next to her. He let his feet relax against her middle with his toes brushing against her breasts as he kept his eyes on the wine bottle.

All of a sudden she stood up forcing his legs to jerk off her shooting pain through his thigh. "I'm hungry." Cameron said justifying her quick departure.

House reached the kitchen a minute after her she was just leaning against the counter and he headed for the fridge.


End file.
